1st XI v YMCA (away) – 4/6/2016

Stan Mitchell said in 2013 after Phoenix’s last visit to Claremont Road that never before had Phoenix lost a match by 189 runs. However, Phoenix came into this match on a good run with Rheinhardt Strydom keen to put one over on his former club and the collective ambition was to keep up the winning run. The home team won the toss and inserted Phoenix. The Phoenix team comprised Strydom, Nicolass Pretorius, M D Masud Ahmed, Sam Anderson, Adam Chester, Rory Anders, Ben White, Richie Lawrence, Thomas Anders, Matt Scott, Alessandro Morris.

Pretorius was the first to be dismissed when Parkinson had him caught by Fisher for 9. Masud looked to be adhesive and there was only one boundary in his first ten scoring shots. Masud fell on 21 and Anderson was the next man in. After a steady start Anderson and Strydom began to attack the bowling and as both batsmen grew in authority and fluency the home attack struggled to contain them. The stand ended at 164 when Anderson was out for 85. What 122 not out would have done for Strydom’s average your correspondent is not sure but unfortunately he misjudged the last ball of the innings and the innings closed on 258 for 6.

The new ball pair for Phoenix was Thomas and Rory Anders. Thomas bowled 5 overs for 10 runs but was rested after that. Rory bowled three but came back later on to bowl another six. Strydom took the first wicket for Phoenix when he had Jack Tector caught by Pretorius and Morris seems to have taken over Conor Kelly’s role in the middle overs with a spell of ten unbroken overs taking 1-42. After 32 overs the home team were 134 for 2 and the chase seemed to be on target although the home scorer felt that his team had conceded 30 too many. However, once Phoenix had removed Terry for 36 they opened up an end and the incoming batsmen needed to support Singh . Rory Anders conceded 21 runs in his final over and Strydom 18 in his last but the golden arms for Phoenix were Captain Anderson and Ben White with the skipper taking 2 wickets in his only over and the spinner will be on a hat trick when he bowls his next delivery after removing Jones and Ali. Phoenix won by 34 runs.

Men of the Match Strydom and Anderson were dominant with both bat and ball

Conor Dillon

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